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Hummingbirds are a great bird to entice in closer! They are real fun to take care of and watch. We've now got about 3-4 different "hummers" coming in daily, to our feeders and flowers! Some are ruby throated, and some are a lovely green. One the other day, seemed very white in it's coloring. We only started this venture about a month ago. Since then, I've got some real lovely pictures and of these beautiful birds up close and personal! They will actually even feed right from your hand, as long as you keep still. The minute you move though, they will fly off. Or should I say, they'll buzz....away! You can hear the buzz, before you see the bird, and I know, they're coming!

We put out first, some flowers. I hung a fuchsia plant, and some geraniums. They love these both. And so many more, great flowers, can be used to entice them! Some examples of these flowers are: Foxglove, morning glory, lob ilia, evening primrose, and Zinnia's to name a few. It is fun to watch them feeding from the usual red plastic feeders, but it's also as lovely to see them feeding naturally off of lovely flower blooms! I'm so hooked now, on these lil hummers. I have sat for hours literally, watching and photographing them closely. They are just so lovely. And I'd never dreamed, that I could actually get so close as to self feed, these precious little birds. The only bird in nature that flies forwards and backwards too! Can you imagine, a bird, that actually buzzes straight backwards? It really is an amazing bird! I've been quite mesmerized to say the least. Even our boys are saying, "Mom, the bird is back at the feeder", helping me to keep track of their comings and goings. I really wonder, where they go after they feed.

Where is their nest? How far from here are they living? How far off can they smell this potent nectar? These things are what I wonder, while watching them buzzing about. I've also found out, that you can make your own nectar from scratch, instead of buying the store bought types. I've found on line, equal amounts of sugar and water, and boiling this mix for approx. two minutes, cooling, then adding this to the feeders works quite well too. Its amazing, but the birds are drawn to the red color of the feeder itself, as much as being drawn to the color of the red nectar. Either way, you're sure to bring some "hummers" in to your feeders, either by using the stores mixtures, or creating your own. And the feeders, there are quite lovely ones out, but you don't have to "break the bank" to draw them in.

A simple red feeder will do just nicely. Add this, to surrounding your deck area, with lovely live flowers, and you're sure to be watching these "hummers" on a daily basis, yourself. Its amazing, how soon after you put out nectar, that these birds arrive on the scene. Let alone, flowers arranged about, will draw them in, as well. We have surrounded our entire deck area and, our walkway, with lovely flowers, hanging plants, and bird feeders around the deck. I love sitting out day and night, and just enjoying the serene environment, that we've created! Its amazing, what a few flowers and feeders can do to a lonely deck!

Anyway, I encourage you to try this, and you'll see, just how fast, you'll have some "hummers" as they are called, in feeding at your area as well! I was amazed at how quickly they came in to it all. The old adage, if you build it, they will come, held very true for this as well! I hope you get as many days and hours of pleasure, as we've gotten as a family watching these lovely creatures, that the Lord has blessed us with!

Learn more about this author, Lisa Nelson.
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